Greatest Speeches in Broadway/Theater History?

[FeelingElectric2]

Posted: 9/14/09 at 8:49pm

Ok, so I need a great speech in history for school, and I want one that has to do with theater, because guess what? I like theater. Unfortunately, I haven?t chose one, and I was wondering if anyone of you here knows one?
The speech must have some sort of impact (long term/short).

If you can please link to the speech (text preferably.)

Updated On: 9/14/09 at 08:49 PM

[iWannaBEaSedaris]

Posted: 9/14/09 at 8:54pm

Sondheim's acceptance speech for 'Company' comes to mind as something eloquent and definitely effective. (The speech about orchestrators)

[FeelingElectric2]

Posted: 9/14/09 at 8:57pm

cool, I'm googling it, but not coming up with the text of the speech. anywhere I could find it?

[iWannaBEaSedaris]

Posted: 9/14/09 at 9:03pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2fGIhWmVn9A&feature=PlayList&p=18EC73124D7934E9&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=2 Updated On: 9/14/09 at 09:03 PM

[FeelingElectric2]

Posted: 9/14/09 at 9:05pm

Ha! yes found it!

Although I adore Sondheim, I'm looking for something with more length, or different, to keep my options open. The speech doesn't have to be an acceptance speech and can be contemporary.

[FeelingElectric2]

Posted: 9/14/09 at 9:33pm

No one? Really? Not even an idea?

[Kad]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 1:05am

Hamlet's advice to the players. Unless you want something contemporary.

[scott68]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 1:12am

a. Be more specific. Can it be fictional, or are we talking real speeches?

b. This pops up in every "I have a school project" thread, but... if you're looking for a speech with an impact to make a presentation on, why are you looking to others? If you hadn't known about the impact before preparing this project, why do you think the speech would be worth reporting on?

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 1:24am

You're going to have a hard time finding an actual speech about theater. My suggestion is to look at the book "Audition" by Michael Shurtleff. Although it's a book mostly on the craft of acting, he says some very insightful things about the life of an actor. I was just looking at it again today. I think one of my favorite quotes of all time is "Most actors make themselves unhappy by searching for sanity, by insisting on their normalcy; it's a grave mistake. The life of an actor is a bit easier to take if you admit you're bonkers."

It's a very famous book and usually can be found in the drama section of any major bookstore, and can surely be found at any decent library.

[noplain]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 4:47am

Could these be the sort of things you're looking for? "speeches by prominent Australian theatre practitioners, and includes the texts of selected Philip Parsons Memorial Lectures and Rex Cramphorn Memorial Lectures."

Quite removed from Broadway, but some interesting reading.

http://www.currency.com.au/essays-speeches-online.aspx

[dramamama611]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 5:14am

A great speech in history about theater? That made an impact? Not too many people get behind a rallying cry over entertainment.

We're not going to be marching on DC to get a national theater going.


Usually when assignments like this are made it is expected that the speech is something more in lines of change in the world or country: think MLK's I Have a Dream. (Not that I'm suggesting it, just using it as a point of reference.) These speeches are usually political since it is about CHANGING what exists. (Not to say that the orator is running for political office.)

[ggersten]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 6:26am

A great historical speech about theatre? The only thing I can think of is not a speech, but "sic semper tyrannus" had an impact.

Like dramamama wrote, there just aren't "great historical speeches" about theatre - or the role of theatre.

There's probably some Nobel prize winning speech out there - there's Lillian Hellman's letter to HUAC (which you can get in the script for Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been), which was read, but is not otherwise a "speech" -

You might look for a eulogy about a playwright.

But most speeches would not be "great" in terms of impact, but "great" in terms of well written.

Or you're just going to have find a different topic.

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 7:07am

To be or not to be

[Gypsy9]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 7:51am

One of the monologues as spoken by Willy Lowman in Arthur Miller's DEATH OF A SALESMAN. George C. Scott's work several decades ago was so moving that there was not a dry eye in the theatre.

[FeelingElectric2]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 2:40pm

Sorry for not being specific, it cant be a fictional speech.
And the impact doesn't have to be grand, for instance someone in my class is doing a speech on something that Keith Olbermann had said. The speech can be about something in the theater community that affected it, not just the entertainment aspect.

Sorry if I'm coming off as annoying. I am also doing my part and googling like crazy.

[Paul W. Thompson]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 3:47pm

When Julie Andrews refused her Tony nomination for "Victor/Victoria" in 1996, she gave a curtain speech that is quite well known. It's probably on YT. It's the origin of the phrase, "the egregiously overlooked."

The only other Broadway speech to make the front page was David Merrick's speech after the opening night of "42nd Street," announcing that Gower Champion had died earlier that day. Pretty well documented in the press (August 1980, I believe).

Posted: 9/15/09 at 4:01pm

the problem with theatrical speeches -

when a theatre artist has something to say, they don't make a speech. they make theatre. that's why you're so hard pressed to find anything.

i like the idea of a eulogy for a playwright.

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 4:03pm

Paul's suggestion is a good one. It is a very short speech but it had a big impact. If you have Broadway The American musical, it is included on disc 2 "Putting it Together" and is the segment after the opening segment about The Producers. Gives some background about Merrick and the short speech itself. I actually remember hearing about Mr. Champion's death and I didn't know who he was at the time.

[bandit964]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 11:48pm

"You either have it... Stop stop stop stop stop taking pictures right now. You heard the announcement, who do you think you are? Get 'em out. How dare you. Who do you think you are? Get them out. I won't continue if they're taking pictures. Get 'em out. Turn the lights on, they're right back there. Three times. Three times you took a picture. You heard the announcement in the beginning, you heard the announcement at intermission, who do you think you are? This is the theatre. Thank you, alright, so you know what we're gonna do? I have to say this. I have to say this: We have forgotten our public manners. And we have forgotten that we are in a community, and this is the theatre. And all of you, every single one of you except for that person, has respect. And I, and the rest of this company appreciate it. Thank you."

[BumbleWumble]

Posted: 9/15/09 at 11:51pm

Certainly not Alice Ripley's Tony speech.